Is a Wedding Venue with Lodging Worth It?

In the world of modern weddings, there's a key question couples face early in the planning process: should we pick a wedding venue with lodging?

At first, this may seem like a six of one/half-dozen of the other tossup––whether at the venue or at a hotel or rental house, you'll pay for accommodations for yourselves and your wedding party either way, right? But if we dig a bit deeper into the three big considerations that factor in––time, budget, and stress––the unforeseen benefits of onsite lodging may come as a surprise!

As a case study of sorts, let's take a look at the lodging setup at Sylvan Ridge Farm, our historic Pocono wedding venue with onsite accommodation for up to 16 guests. From the beginning, Sylvan Ridge Farm was established as a venue where couples would spend not just the wedding day, but a whole wedding weekend, with lodging included in every package.

Time: the Biggest Benefit of a Wedding Venue with Lodging

The single biggest perk of a wedding venue with lodging isn't the beds. It's TIME. The extra time you gain by booking a venue with accommodations is truly priceless. At Sylvan Ridge Farm, our weekend package lasts 72 hours and spans not one, not two, but THREE nights of exclusive venue access.

For countless newlywed couples, their one regret is that their wedding went by too fast. And while there are only 24 hours in a day, minimizing the amount of rushing around and maximizing the amount of time spent together is a high priority for nearly all brides and grooms. That's why our long-format model is such a huge factor for couples who book with Sylvan Ridge Farm. They see the hidden value in spending all that extra time, structured or unstructured, with their loved ones.

Doing what, you might ask? We can't speak for other venues, but here on the ridge, couples and their overnight groups make use of multiple indoor and outdoor gathering spaces, a pristine pool & hot tub enclosure, a grilling station, a fire pit with unlimited firewood, and miles of hiking trails. There are the structured side events––welcome parties, cultural ceremonies, rehearsal dinners, farewell brunches––and the unstructured hours of quality time, from game nights and hot tub stargazing to trail runs and corn hole tournaments.

Budget: Is a Wedding Venue with Lodging Cost Effective?

Budget is understandably at the forefront for most couples as they plan their wedding, so this is an important question. How does a wedding venue with lodging add up in a cost-benefit analysis? As discussed above, it's hard to put a price tag on the time afforded by staying on site, but it's still useful to tally what the exact cost would be to lodge you and your wedding party should you get married at a venue that doesn't provide accommodation.

At Sylvan Ridge Farm, for example, our farmhouse and cottage together sleep up to 16 guests. For most couples, this is ample space to house themselves and their wedding parties. Hotel room prices vary widely depending on the hotel and season, but in this area even rooms at chain hotels normally run in excess of $200 or $300 per night on peak weekends. Let's say each room is $250/night and you need to put up yourselves and your wedding party for at least two nights to get through the rehearsal and the wedding day. Pairing them up to share rooms, you'd be spending $4,000 to lodge the same 16 people who'd stay on property at Sylvan Ridge Farm (for THREE nights) at no additional charge.

Viewed from this perspective, a wedding venue with lodging can absolutely be a cost-effective option, especially if there's room for not just the couple, but also wedding party and/or family members to stay on property. So as you compare venues that provide lodging with those that don't, remember to crunch the numbers on the value of the lodging provided.

Stress: Why a Wedding Venue with Lodging Will Save So Much of It!

Rounding out the top three factors to help you decide if you want to prioritize a wedding venue with lodging is stress. If you've ever been in a wedding with lodging in one place (or several places), ceremony at another, and cocktail hour/reception at a third location, you know exactly what I mean! The hustle and bustle to get everyone where they need to be when they need to be there is off the charts, and even the most calm, cool, and collected brides and grooms (not to mention their family members) can feel their blood pressure rising when an issue crops up. The groomsmen woke up late, the limo broke down, the coordinator texted to say it's time to the move but the photographer needs a few more shots, guests are arriving but your parents are stuck in traffic, and on and on. Even when everything goes according to plan, everyone is constantly checking the time and feeling a little on edge because something could go wrong at any moment. Peruse the reviews of Sylvan Ridge Farm and you'll see a common theme: couples are so grateful for how RELAXED they felt throughout their wedding weekend, because everything (and everyone) was in one place, there was no rushing around, they had endless hours to prep the space, and they could just enjoy each other's company with zero transit time involved. This is the kind of stress reduction you'll gain by opting for a wedding venue with onsite lodging, and for many couples, it's the deciding factor. Getting to interact with the best, least stressed versions of their family members, dearest friends, and even themselves is a tough proposition to turn down!

Which Kind of Wedding Venue with Lodging Is Right for You?

If the idea of a wedding venue with lodging is sounding appealing, we'd encourage you to take the next step and consider what kind of lodging is the right fit for you and your loved ones.

There are hotels and resorts, where everyone can have rooms in the same building but are otherwise fairly separated, only gathering for events. The size of hotels can be a pro or a con; some couples love the idea of having literally everyone together and bumping into their wedding guests in the lobby, while others prefer some level of separation. Hotels and resorts are heavily staffed, so you should feel "taken care of," but unless you book out the entire place, they cater to many guests and groups at the same time, so the service comes with a corporate feel.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, but probably next-most-common, are venues that include a honeymoon suite and no other lodging. The couple can stay on site for a night or two, and that's it. For more introverted couples who just like the stress reduction component of not needing to move themselves around from place to place, this can be a great choice. On the other hand, most couples have a honeymoon planned after the wedding to soak up one-on-one time, so not getting extra time with loved ones is a significant downside of this setup.

Venues like Sylvan Ridge Farm fall between these first two options, as a happy medium where couples AND a select group of loved ones can stay on site together, while wedding guests lodge elsewhere and join in for scheduled events only. This affords a level of privacy (not interacting with the general public for the entire wedding weekend? Yes please!) combined with quality time that hits the mark for many couples. It's important to consider your priorities and the spaces you'd have available. For example, Sylvan Ridge Farm's farmhouse and cottage allow bridesmaids and groomsmen to prep separately and give the couple a private place to stay, but the huge dining and living rooms mean there's space for everyone to hang out together. For any venue that won't be housing your entire guestlist, distance from hotels is an important factor that also bears on transportation costs. The nearest hotels are less than 10 minutes away from Sylvan Ridge Farm, but we've encountered venues that are an hour or more from hotels, so don't be afraid to ask about this before setting up a venue tour!

Why a Wedding Venue with Lodging Isn't for Everyone

Having spent the whole blog post pointing out the benefits of a wedding venue with lodging, I don't want to put the topic to bed (no pun intended) without acknowledging this option isn't for everyone. The main demographic for whom a wedding venue withOUT lodging makes sense is the budget-conscious couple whose wedding party and family all live locally, especially if they want a religious ceremony in a place of worship or a backyard ceremony on a family property and only need a venue for their reception. For a couple in this scenario, the extra time with loved ones is less of a factor since they see them often; the hidden value of included lodging doesn't apply since everyone can sleep at home in their own beds for free; and if the ceremony and reception won't be in the same place anyway, there's less of a stress reduction component.

How Newlyweds Reflect on Choosing a Wedding Venue with Lodging

We've established the many pros of a wedding venue with lodging, and acknowledged the circumstances when it might make sense to go another route. But before we put the topic to bed, let's consider one last vital question: for newlywed couples who DID pick a wedding venue with lodging, how do they reflect on that decision? Sylvan Ridge Farm's reviews are littered with dozens and dozens of comments and anecdotes about this very thing. Here are a few excerpts:

"Sylvan Ridge Farm was the perfect venue for our wedding. One of our biggest priorities was finding a place where we could spend as much time as possible with our family and friends, and this venue made that possible. That ended up being one of my favorite parts of the entire weekend. We are so grateful for the unforgettable memories we made there and couldn't imagine celebrating anywhere else." - Christine, SRF bride

"The very first time that my husband and I saw this property, we knew that it was where we wanted our wedding to be! The barn is absolutely beautiful and the property is incredible. Having the ability to have family and friends stay on property and celebrate for a few days was a special bonus. There was more than enough space for the two parties to be separate and get ready for the day. If I could relive this weekend, I would do it over and over for the rest of my life." - Kylie, SRF bride

"Sylvan Ridge Farm welcomed us to host the absolute wedding of our dreams... We felt so comfortable there and right at home! We were so happy to find such a cozy venue that allowed us to enjoy our wedding for more than just a day. It was truly an experience of a lifetime and we are so grateful." - Adam, SRF groom

"The most amazing and beautiful venue ever! It was so nice to be able to spend the whole weekend being together with our bridal party and getting to relax before getting married... If I could marry my husband over and over again here I 100% would! I can’t rave enough about this venue. Even all our guests keep telling us how beautiful the venue was." - Brittany, SRF bride

"The two houses on the property were fantastic and really added to the experience. The larger house was perfect for the bridesmaids to stay and get ready, while the smaller house provided a private and cozy space for my wife and me to enjoy together. Having those options right on site made everything so convenient and stress-free." - Warren, SRF groom

Visit a Wedding Venue with Lodging in Person!

One last thing to know about wedding venues with lodging is they often book up faster than other venues, since wedding groups occupy them for more than a single day and thus availability is limited. If you're interested in touring Sylvan Ridge Farm to see our lodging options for yourself, contact us and hear back within 24 hours!